Noob to pro
by NCR Ranger
Summary: With Hawaii's string of bad weather gone, 5-0 is ready for some outdoors R and R .


" You missed ".

"- "

" I just have to say, you _did_ miss."

"- "

" Danno, you- "

" Steve. Say that _once_ more, and I will be sorely tempted to turn this shotgun on _you_. "

If Steve had received a penny for every threat Danno had issued against him, he could've bought a Lamborgini Hurracan ( not that he'd ever abandon his beloved Chevvy pickup; he was a genuine American man who drove, after all ), _and_ a gold plated iphone to fit with it. That the threats weren't ( if ever ) actually meant to be taken seriously didn't really matter; it was the fundementals of it.

He shrugged. This was nothing new, anyway. If there was a person on Earth capable of being saltier than Danno, Steve hadn't heard of, or met, them yet. Which was probbably a relief to said Earth.

Either way, though, you wouldn't really anticipate someone who got this irritated by losing and essentially screwing up, to enjoy a few rounds of Skeet shooting at a local firearms range. They'd be more likely to spend their free hours busy with something that kept them away from having to socialize, like birdwatching. Or being a fan of rom-coms ( which, to be fair, were at least preferable to the Oceans 8 remake ).

But, shooting it out against flying dics of clay ? Enjoying one's right to be armed ? _That_ was more like Steve McGarrett, and his crowd. Sure, you could just come out here to have fun, enjoying the thrill of having firepower in your hands, but at the end of the day ( and at the beginning, and middle of it ), skeet shooting was all about cutting down as many of those disks as you could, preferably in a row.

So, all that said, that Steve had gotten Danno out to the Honolulu SWAT gun club, for a few rounds of clay pigeon blasting on a partially cloudy Saturday, _was_ still a bit strange, perhaps more than a little, actually. On the other hand, though,he'd also gotten him onto the 5-0 team to begin with, after having him shot ( albiet by accident ), so perhaps that was enough.

None of that, of course, would be enough to stop Danno's ' missed yet again ' saltiness, though. Then again, that was a given.

" I was only _helping_ , Danno ", Steve clarified, with a befitting caring hand gesture. " You're getting cranky- well, more so than usual, when you miss, and that's not good for your hypertension. "

It was a logical, thoughtful, and heartfelt rationale, or at least that's what Steve had been aiming for. To be honest, though, he was actually just hoping to hide that he was also being sarcastic, but he didn't think Danno would know.

" Steve, you offering to _help_ me, actually just frightens me. "

" Wha- ? Come on, Dan. "

Whoops.

" Dan ? _Dan_ ?! Hold up, no, no. You did not refer to me as Dan. I _know_ you did not. "

Said " saltiest man " hadn't even turned his head till now. He'd was still keeping the Remington 870 shotgun, smoke wisps drifting up from its muzzle, pointed downrange. But, at being adressed as ' Dan ', he now swung around to shoot a sharp ' Are you serious ? ') look at Steve. With the 870 held upright, at an at-arms pose, he looked like an slightly even-more-tempremental-than-usual Buckingham Palace guard

That probbably helped with how he was proing why _he_ was the master of snark, and not Steve.

" I, um, well- " The other officer foundered, scrambling to find a response.

" That's what I thought ", Danno retorted. " _Dan_ is the guy who fills the water coolers at the office. Or that collage student who works the register at Whole Foods. Now, they both might be ok to get along with, but look at me. Do I look like a ' Dan ' ? "

Rhetorical questions. Steve was sure now those were intregal with all New Jerseyan DNA.

" You like like, well, _you_. "

" _Exactly_ " Danno retorted. " And you're not helping me right now. "

With what appeared to be genuine confusion, Steve pressed the issue: " No ? "

" Here's something: No, you're not. "

" If you actually want to _help_ ", he added, pointedly turning downrange, shouldering the weapon again. " Stand over there, you shmuck, and let me concentrate. I am not done yet ".

" _You're_ the shmuck ", Steve grumbled, along with other mostly unrepeatable things. One of these days, he might wind up getting Danno shot. Again. He was quite the case study sometimes in how to be a pain.

Nevertheless, he moved off to one side, back and to the right.

" Ready Danno ?"

" Pull ! "

 _Thwkk !_

The orange disk that was the clay pigeon flew out, arching out into the patchy cloudy sky. It still wasn't back to its usual cloudless self, after the king sized storms that had aggressively assailed the island over the past week, with big swathes of clouds the shade of charcoal still floating overhead, carried along with noticible, but far from gale force, breezes. Still, there wasn't any rain falling, which was enough for many of the island's residents to be back outsidem enjoying Hawaii for the outdoor wonderpark it really was.

Danno had stated ( rather eloquently, and at length ) that he'd prefer to enjoy such ideal conditions from where they couldn't really touch him, like at an outdoor cafe, where he could enjoy some cold coffee and some Steve-free ness. However, the aforementioned Steve had been excited to get back out to doing what he considered to be a ' cruical ' pursuit for a law enforcement member, and had somehow maanged to rope Danno into this.

If only that bright and cheery atmosphere, Steve griped to himself, extended to Danno right now. If he misses-

 _Bwmm_ !

" Aha ! "

Fragments of CP flew everywhere, as Danno's next shot found its mark !

" _Yes_ ! Still holding the 870, Danno grinned firecely, which he didn't do often. Usually, it was a just a bemused/sarcastic smirk, at Steve's expense.

Then again, there was something euphoric about just _nailing_ it. And that ' yes ' was dripping with it.

" Ha ! That- that was dead on, wasn't it ! "

" Well, well, well, " Steve observed ( ironically ), with a smrik of his own, albiet a bemused one. " Look who's suddenly all cheerfull now ".

 _' And now he'll call me out on being sarcastic. Amirite, Danno ? '_

To his surprise, that actually wasn't the case.

" Hey, Steve, _maybe_ you haven't realized this, but skeet shooting isn't my strong suit. And yes, I _am_ admitting it. "

That was rather unlike Danno, but Steve would take it anyway.

" Ok. Allright. I get it. First step is admitting you have a problem. Such as, being a bad shot with a shotgun ".

If Steve had been anticipating a stinging retort, he didn't get it. Which, frankly, was as welcoming as it was confusing.

" Pull ! ". Danno raised the weapon again.

 _' If he misses, I'll be eating my words '_

Nevertheless, Steve watched, as another CP was sent aloft.

 _Bwm !_

 _Krsh !_

More bits of clay showered the grass.

Danno whooped, and outright chuckled with triumph.

Steve wasn't sure which stunned him more: the _back to back hits_ , or _laughter_ from _Danno_. From when they'd gotten here, Danno had been all ' hit or miss ', and it'd been mostly miss. Several in a row, actually. Granted, there hadn't been that many of them, but with every one, Steve could swear he could hear the sound of steam hissing.

It'd been fun, actually, watching Danno essentially filling the air with hot lead, and only chipping the CPs. He'd actually been on the verge of provding advice, but thought that'd be too easy. Danno should, after all, earn this for himself.

Well, now it seemed he actually had.

" Oh, " , was all Steve came up with.

It was just more ammo for Danno. He put the 870 offline, and keeping it upright, turned to face Steve, still all triumphant.

" Got to say, winning, well, it kinda feels good, you know ? ".

"-"

" What ? Tongue tied ? _That's_ a first. "

More gunfire echoed, on and off every few seconds, as the club's other patrons continued engaging their aeiral targets. Today was a weekend, after all. Just about everyone had time to slay.

Enjoying their right to be armed ? Easily one of the best ways.

" Aha ! Steve exe. has stopped working ! ", Danno was clearly quite amused by this

" You- have you been holding back on purpose ?! ", the SEAL sputtered, more than a little surprised at the recent turn of events.

Steve finally got it together. He glanced back and forth, between downrange, and the smug New Jerseyan.

There really was only one way out of this, and he didn't want it. Which left him in a bit of a stick.

" Oh, is , _is_ that your assesment ? ", Danno raised an eyebrow.

" What else _could_ it be ?! "

Steve was faintly aware that this was just playing to Danno's strengths, but he couldn't yield.

Not now.

He was, after all, dealing with Danno.

" A good question ", the latter noted. " Doesn't prove I am not right. Which I _am_ ".

 _' Why do I work with this, anyway ? Is there even a point to asking that anymore ? '_

With a _hff_ of annoyance, Steve dismissivley waved an arm at Danno, turning away.

" Go on. Enjoy your little victory, Dan. "

Not even that could shake the other officer now, though.

After all, winning by a qaurter mile, or by a full mile, either way:

Winning's winning.


End file.
